Medicaid Enrollment and Mental Health Service Use Following Release of Jail Detainess with Severe Mental Illness

• NCJ Number: 215128
• Journal: Psychiatric Services Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2006 Pages: 809-815
• Author(s): Joseph P. Morrissey Ph.D.; Henry J. Steadman Ph.D.; Kathleen M. Dalton M.A.; Alison Cuellar Ph.D.; Paul Stiles Ph.D.; Gary S. Cuddeback Ph.D.
• Date Published: June 2006
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH-63883
• Sponsoring Agency: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded on August 8, 2006.

Annotation

This study assessed the extent to which Medicaid enrollment increased access to and use of services by persons with severe mental illness after their release from jail in King County, WA, and Pinellas County, FL.

Abstract

Findings confirm that in both counties, persons with severe mental illness who are enrolled in Medicaid at the time of their release from jail are more likely to access community services, to receive services more quickly, and to receive more days of service than those without Medicaid in the 90 days after their release from jail. With that said, it does not make good public policy sense to disenroll persons with severe mental illness from Medicaid when they are in jail. This report presents findings that focus directly on the possible advantages of Medicaid enrollment for this population. The study employed a prospective cohort design that used administrative data from two-large urban counties (King County, WA and Pinellas County, FL) over 2 years to examine the access to and use of community mental health services after the release from jail for persons with severe mental illness. Tables, references